Vogar viewpoint

Vogar is a hillside meadow and viewpoint high above Lake Bohinj, at about 1,054 metres in Triglav National Park, and it is one of the best places to see the lake and the valley together. The viewpoint lies on the northern side of the lake, above the old mountain villages of Stara Fužina and Studor, and from the open slopes the view takes in the whole sweep of the Bohinj valley, with the water glinting far below and the wall of the Julian Alps rising behind it. On a clear day the outlook feels less like a picture and more like a map, and the scale of the valley becomes clear in a way that is not possible from the shore.

The usual route starts in Stara Fužina, a village known for its traditional wooden houses and alpine dairying heritage, where the road also leads to the entrance of the Mostnica Gorge. From the village a marked path climbs through forest and then through pasture, gaining about five hundred metres in height. A walk of around an hour to an hour and a half is typical, depending on fitness and stops. The path is steady and in places steep, and after rain the roots, rocks and wet leaves can be slippery, so good shoes are important, and walking poles help on the descent. The forest provides shade in summer, and spring and autumn bring flowers and colour.

At the top the meadow opens out, and Kosijev dom, a mountain hut, offers refreshments and a place to sit. The hut is a simple, friendly stop that gives walkers a chance to rest and enjoy the view with a meal or a drink, and it is open during the walking season. Vogar is also a launch site for paragliders, and on good days colourful canopies drift over the valley, a spectacle in themselves, so walkers need to take care to keep clear of the take-off area.

The viewpoint can be combined with other sights on the Bohinj side of the lake. Many visitors continue to Lake Bohinj for a swim, take the boat from Ribčev Laz to Ukanc, visit the church of St. John the Baptist by the stone bridge, or ride the Vogel cable car to the ridge on the other side of the valley. The Savica waterfall and Mostnica Gorge are the area's other classic walks.

Vogar suits walkers of moderate fitness, photographers and anyone who wants a view of Bohinj from above without a long mountain day. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light, and the walk is worth doing in autumn, when the beech woods on the valley slopes are a rich colour.